“We’ve done it before. Can we do it again?”
Five executives put half a million dollars on the line to start a new ecommerce brand. Operators Build follows every step, in public. You get the math, the disagreements, and the cost of launching an online business in 2026.
This is not dropshipping. We bought inventory, formed an LLC, and registered our domain name: https://getwinks.com The plan? Shopify + paid social (Meta) with online marketplaces like Amazon and new channels like TikTok added as the numbers earn it.
Curtis covers the category and the year they spent on the product + inventory management (sourcing, co-manufacturer, 3PL). Sean frames subscriptions and the CAC goal. Cody runs email and social-media marketing with AI to keep OpEx low. Mike pushes for constraints while Matt argues for high conviction, one big bet.
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Skio
https://9ops.co/skio-9operators
Aftersell
Omnisend
https://www.omnisend.com/9operators
SARAL
https://calendly.com/maxx-getsaral/op...
Motion
https://9ops.co/motion-runneth
Shoplift
Chapters
00:00:00 New Ecommerce Business
00:03:30 Why Make a Sleep Product?
00:07:52 How to Start a Brand (2026)
00:13:43 The $500K Investment
00:21:44 Mercenaries Over Martyrs
00:30:01 We’re Not Dropshipping
00:36:40 Drive Traffic, CAC Ceiling
00:41:28 Go All In Or Spread Bets
00:49:25 Email & Digital Marketing
00:58:26 Culture And Low Ego
01:04:31 Need a Business Plan?
01:14:44 Choosing Co-Founders
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